THOMAS TWP. — In Thomas Township, young and old alike enjoy learning archery.

The township Parks and Recreation Director John Corriveau has 65 students, from ages 6 to 82, in seven classes with 15 people on a waiting list.

When Corriveau started the classes in the fall, he said he assumed the classes would be popular.

“I’m ecstatic at how well it is going,” he said.

Each Thursday, Corriveau teaches the hour-long classes at the Thomas Township-based Saginaw Field & Stream, 1500 N. Gleaner, which offered to let him use the indoor archery range.

Corriveau won the equipment in September during a competition in a Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment seminar for parks and recreation professionals. Despite never having shot a recurve bow, he won the tournament by one-eighth of an inch. The prize was $4,000 in archery equipment for his community, which did not offer any such classes.

Starting in June, the classes will be outside, he said. Corriveau will offer classes on different days and hopes to fit more people into the schedule.

“It’s crazy the number of people who want to shoot,” he said.

Corriveau teaches 10 people at a time to keep the sessions personal, he said.

The director also is expanding the program, buying smaller bows to teach children as young as 4, and five more compound and recurve bows each for a total of 10 of each type of bow.

In the fall, Corriveau will teach an introduction to bow hunting course. While the course isn’t focused as much on archery, he’ll show people how to use deer calls and trail cameras, read trail signs and how to build and find locations for blinds, among other things.

“All that cool stuff my dad taught me,” Corriveau explained.

The equipment comes free from the DNRE, which is expanding an explore bow hunting curriculum. After he teaches the class, Corriveau will pass the equipment and gear to another municipality. He said he hopes to teach the hunting class each fall.

One thing Corriveau said he enjoys the most about the classes is parent-child participation.

“There are heartfelt moments where a parent and child find an activity they enjoy together,” he said. “That to me was a big bonus.”

The courses are $35 per individual and last six weeks. Each participant receives a T-shirt, Corriveau said.

To sign up, call the Thomas Township Parks and Recreation Department at 781-0150 or e-mail parks@thomastwp.org.